


If We Sleep Together

by LuciferaBlack



Category: The Blacklist (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Light Angst, Slow Burn, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-29
Updated: 2018-10-01
Packaged: 2019-07-20 07:57:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16132997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuciferaBlack/pseuds/LuciferaBlack
Summary: Liz finds herself getting very annoyed with Red lately, so Red comes up with a novel solution.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by the song "Sleep Together" by Garbage. 
> 
> Song video, with lyrics in the video description section: https://youtu.be/q1Ad78q5yVk
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own The Blacklist or the characters, this is strictly for fan entertainment purposes.

 Liz was staring at Red as he told the task force about an especially disturbing case.

 “Ian Dawson is a con artist with a sadistic streak. He’s conducted some sweetheart scams, preying on lonely women and using them before taking all their money. He has moved on to impersonating long lost family members, specifically, children who went missing nearly two decades ago. Dawson managed to do that _twice_ ; he convinced two different families he was their missing son. He let them take care of him for a while, and then in both instances, he faked his suicide, breaking the families’ hearts all over again.” Red said. 

 The agents all had expressions of disgust on their faces. 

 “What he loves most in this world is money. What he hates most is working for it. He thinks people should just hand him money.” Red continued. 

 Liz thought about how Dawson must have an extreme sense of entitlement and a narcissistic personality. 

 “I think the best way to engage Dawson is to dangle some money in front of him. I’m willing to do that myself.” Red said. 

 “What’s your plan?” Cooper asked. 

 “Well…I could offer him a ridiculous amount of money to do something easy, but I haven’t yet decided what it will be.” Red said. 

 Liz glanced at Red and then Cooper. 

 “I could bait him into a sweetheart scam.” She suggested. 

 Red gave her a somewhat patronizing look. 

 “Lizzie, no one’s going to believe you’re a lonely woman, desperate for a male companion.” Red said. 

 Liz blushed. 

 “All kinds of people get scammed. Con artists are expert manipulators; you don’t need to be super vulnerable to be scammed.” She said. 

 The room went quiet as they all considered her plan. 

 “A sweetheart scam would take too long; it would be very involved and you’d have to go deep undercover.” Cooper said. 

 “I don’t mind, as long as we get him eventually.” Liz said. 

 “I stand by what Harold said. It’s much too complicated and lengthy…besides, I don’t like the idea of you interacting with Dawson.” Red said protectively. 

 Liz subtly rolled her eyes and sighed. Red’s protectiveness was irritating her.

 “Fine. Well, let’s come up with something you can pay him for.” She said testily. 

 Red looked smug as usual, while Cooper, Ressler, Aram and Samar all looked puzzled by Liz’s irritability. 

 “How about something like…you have this really cool yacht and you need someone to…yacht-sit for you, if such a thing exists.” Aram said. 

 “I like that.” Red said, smirking. 

 “Yeah, that should work. Dawson will want the money for doing some fun and easy…but what about his thrill-seeking? We need to figure out something that will really pique his interest. Something dangerous, sneaky or manipulative.” Liz said. 

 “I could pretend Dembe stole my yacht and I need Dawson to steal it back.” Red said. 

 “Isn’t that really dangerous for Dembe?” Liz asked. 

 “Not at all. Dawson is a coward; he’ll find a way to trick Dembe or just steal the yacht from right under his nose, without a confrontation. Besides, you know Dembe; he can take care of himself.” Red said assuredly. 

 Liz thought about Dembe, and she realized Red was right. 

 “This sounds like a decent plan to get Dawson to come out of the woodwork. Let’s give it a shot.” Cooper said. 

 Red smiled. 

 “Lizzie. Let’s go buy a yacht.” He said excitedly. 

 Liz sighed and got off the desk she was sitting on. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Liz was walking beside Red as he strolled up and down the waterfront, looking at way too many yachts. 

 “Can you narrow it down to a few choices?” She asked hopefully. 

 Red squinted and inspected another one. 

 “Hmm.” He said. 

 Liz was getting very impatient. 

 “Red, you’re not even going to use the yacht. Just pick one.” She said. 

 He gave her a disapproving look. 

 “I’m using my own money for this, Lizzie, and I _will_ use it after this operation, so long as Dawson doesn’t manage to wreck it.” He said. 

 Liz sighed. 

 “Okay.” She said. 

 Red studied her face. 

 “Are you feeling okay?” He asked. 

 She frowned at him. 

 “Yeah. Why?” She said. 

 “You seem a little…testy.” He said. 

 Liz rolled her eyes. 

 “See? Like that…” Red pointed out. 

 “Can you please just pick a yacht and buy it so we can go?” She asked. 

 “Where would you like us to go, Lizzie?” He asked. 

 Liz felt flustered. 

 “No, I just meant…we could…each go home.” She said awkwardly. 

 “Alright, sweetheart.” He said. 

 Liz exhaled somewhat loudly, feeling annoyed by the term of endearment. Red studied her for a moment longer and then he spoke. 

 “I’ll go with the one in the middle; the most expensive one.” He said. 

 Liz nodded. 

 “Of course.” She muttered as Red walked ahead of her. 

 They approached the sales office and then she felt Red put his hand on the small of her back, guiding her into the office before him. He paid cash for the yacht, much to the embarrassment of Liz; not only did she feel like they were wearing signs on their foreheads that read “criminal”, but the salespeople were giving them weird looks. One of them raised her eyebrows in a suggestive manner at Liz and then gazed at Red flirtatiously. Liz stared at the floor until her apparent ‘sugar daddy’ finished his transaction. Then they left. 

 “Want to see the inside, Lizzie?” Red asked, jingling the keys. 

 “Ugh. I have to be getting home, Red.” Liz said. 

 “What for?” He asked. 

 Liz thought about it and she realized there was nothing to rush home for. 

 “Okay, let’s go inside.” She said.

 Red escorted Liz onto the yacht and they walked around, surveying everything. They went to the door and Red let them into the cabin. Liz looked around at the luxurious details and furnishings. It definitely suited Red’s expensive taste. 

 “It’s nice, isn’t it?” He asked. 

 Liz nodded. She felt uneasy as Red sat on the cushy bed in the bedroom area. She checked the time on her phone. 

 “Can we go now, Red?” She asked nervously. 

 Red studied her again. 

 “What’s the matter, Lizzie?” He asked, concerned. 

 “I just…want to go home and relax…I’m tired.” She said, blushing lightly. 

 “You could sleep right here.” He said, pressing his fingers into the soft mattress. 

 Liz blushed a darker shade of pink. Red wondered why he was having this effect on her.

 “…I have to go, Red.” She said, and she suddenly left and got off the yacht. 

 Red was puzzled, especially when he went outside and Lizzie was nowhere to be seen. She’d already started her journey home. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 Liz and Red were at the Post Office the next day. They’d updated everyone and now they were standing by Aram’s desk. Samar looked on while Aram typed in the coordinates of Red’s yacht. 

 “I like the one I bought. It’s lovely.” Red said conversationally, to Aram and Samar. 

 “It was the most expensive one, of course.” Liz said. 

 Aram pulled up an aerial image of the yacht.

 “Well, money’s no object to me.” Red said. 

 “Time’s no object to you, either. You took eons to choose one.” Liz said. 

 Samar and Aram glanced at each other. 

 “I told you, Elizabeth. I didn’t want to just choose some piece of garbage for the sake of buying a yacht.” Red said. 

 “They were all nice. You were just being fussy as usual.” Liz said. 

 Everything about Red made Liz bristle lately. 

 Red glared at Liz. 

 “ _I’m_ fussy? I’m not the one who gets cranky when they don’t get their nap time.” Red said. 

 Before Liz could retaliate, Samar spoke. 

 “Get a room, you two.” She said. 

 Red turned his glare on Samar and Liz scoffed and walked away. 

 Liz went into the bathroom for a break, and she slammed the stall door and locked it. She sat on the lid of the toilet seat and put her head in her hands. She was feeling so irritable and angry lately, especially with Red. He was driving her crazy. Liz thought about Samar’s comment about getting a room, and she rubbed her face with her hands. She swore under her breath and then came out of the stall and walked back out into the main area of the black site. Liz didn’t make eye contact with Red for several minutes. 

 Red was wondering what had gotten into Lizzie; he tried to figure out what he might have said or done to piss her off recently. There wasn’t anything, as he’d been behaving himself for quite some time now. He thought about what Samar said, but dismissed it as just an expression. Red felt bad for being petty and arguing with Lizzie, but on the other hand, she’d provoked him by going after him for no good reason. 

 Ressler followed Cooper out of his office and down the stairs. 

 “We’ve gotten approval for the operation, but the FBI isn’t going to reimburse you, Reddington.” Ressler said, smirking. 

 “That’s fine, Donald. I didn’t expect them to.” Red said smugly. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Liz was at home, getting ready for bed. She’d just finished putting her pyjamas on when she suddenly pictured kissing Red, and she shook her head to snap out of it. Liz went into the kitchen and poured a full glass of wine and sipped it. Another mental image popped into her head, this time of Red watching her as she slowly stripped her clothes off. She gulped some more wine and went to sit on the sofa. She turned the TV on as a distraction. 

 Liz tried to focus on the nighttime talk show, but her mind went to Red again; kissing her neck, touching her between her legs, taking her clothes off. She put the wineglass on the coffee table and flopped down on the sofa, sighing. She tossed and turned, trying to stop thinking about him, but she couldn’t. Liz realized why Red was bothering her so much lately; the sexual tension between them had escalated to a point where she felt frustrated and she resented him for it. 

 “Fuck…” She whispered, putting her arm over her eyes. 

 She then sprang up from the sofa and turned the TV off. She poured the remaining wine from her glass into the sink and went into her bedroom. Liz curled up under the blankets and just allowed her mind to do whatever it wanted. It made things easier than trying to stop her thoughts. Liz blushed as she allowed her mind to go further. She pictured what it might be like to grasp and stroke his erection, then take it into her mouth. Then she thought about him taking her roughly from behind. After fantasizing about sex with Red for a while longer, she was horny, but she was eventually able to fall asleep. 

 In the morning, Liz’s phone rang and she grabbed it from the nightstand to see that it was “Nick’s Pizza”. She rejected the call and put the phone down, but then it rang again. 

 “Yes? What is it, Red?” She groaned. 

 “Good morning to you too, Lizzie. Dembe has agreed to the plan; he has even taken the yacht for a spin.” Red said. 

 Liz’s mood lightened as she pictured Dembe having fun on the yacht. 

 “Okay. That’s good.” She said softly. 

 Liz then sighed and stretched. 

 Red enjoyed the sound of her sighing. 

 “…Did you sleep well?” He asked.

 “Um…it was okay.” She said. 

 “I’m glad.” He said. 

 They were both silent for a few moments. 

 “Red?” She said. 

 “Yes, Lizzie?” He asked. 

 “Thanks for the update…” She said. 

 “…You’re welcome.” He said. 

 “See you at the black site, in a while.” She said. 

 “Yes. See you then.” He said, and they hung up. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 The task force was meeting to discuss the plan for how Red might contact or run into Dawson to get the operation started. Liz smiled at Dembe when she walked in and saw him. 

 “Did you have fun on the yacht?” She asked. 

 “I did. It was very enjoyable. I might ask Raymond to borrow it occasionally.” Dembe said, smiling. 

 Liz chuckled and then she went further into the main area and greeted her fellow agents, and then she stood by Red, having a hard time making eye contact with him.

 “Hello, Lizzie.” He said, smiling. 

 Liz blushed.

 “Hi, Red.” She said, feeling tense. 

 She was relieved when Cooper started talking. 

 “Reddington, do you know how to get a message to Dawson?” Cooper asked. 

 “I know someone who can put an advertisement out.” Red said. 

 They all thought he was going to elaborate, but he didn’t.

 “Who?” Cooper asked. 

 “No guesses? Okay. It’s our very own Agent Mojtabai.” Red said. 

 Aram looked around at everyone, just as curious as they were. 

 “Dawson uses the darknet…I’m not sure of the technicalities, but I believe people can use it to conduct illegitimate business. Aram can post an ad, offering fifty million US dollars for successfully stealing my yacht back from Dembe.” Red said. 

 The agents gaped at him. 

 “It’s not much, but it’ll be like winning one of the lotteries…only it’ll be more fun for Dawson than buying a ticket.” Red added. 

 They still gaped at him, so Red just smiled charmingly. Liz bit her lip as she looked at him. She raked her eyes over him and when he turned to her, he caught her checking him out. Liz blushed furiously and stared intently at the floor. Red did a double take at Liz, not quite believing she was checking him out. He figured there must be some other explanation for the way she looked at him. 

 “Once again, I have to stress that the FBI is not reimbursing you for this, Reddington. If Dawson takes off with your money, that’s your problem.” Ressler said. 

 “Oh, that won’t be a problem…” Red said smugly, with a dangerous glint in his eye. 

 Red knew that although fifty million was nothing to him, he would find Dawson and put him down if that ever happened. 

 “Lizzie, why don’t you help me construct the perfect ad to entice Dawson, and then we can give it to Aram.” Red said. 

 Liz sighed quietly. 

 “Sure.” She said unenthusiastically.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Red and Liz were sitting together at a bistro table outside a cafe. Liz sipped her cafe mocha while Red sipped his espresso.

 “What’s changed, Lizzie?” Red asked. 

 “What?” She asked for clarification. 

 “You were all sweetness and light on the phone this morning…now you look rather sullen again.” Red said. 

 Liz sighed. 

 “Can we just talk about the ad for Dawson?” She asked frustratedly. 

 “I’m concerned about you, Elizabeth. If something is wrong, tell me, and I will help you.” He said. 

 “Nothing’s wrong, Red!” She said, nearly blowing up at him. 

 Liz realized how ironic that was. 

 “…You’re just…I’m sorry to say this, but you’re getting on my nerves lately.” She said, finally gazing into his eyes. 

 Red leaned back in his chair and stared at her. 

 “You mean more than usual?” He asked, smirking. 

 “Yes. You’re driving me insane, Red.” She said, relieved to get this off her chest. 

 “I see.” He said. 

 Liz felt bad. 

 “I’m sorry. It’s not really anything specific that you’re doing, or not doing, I just feel on edge around—“ She said. 

 “Perhaps we should sleep together.” He said, interrupting her. 

 Liz’s mouth fell open in shock. 

 “What?!” She asked. 

 “I said perhaps—“ He said. 

 “I heard you. I just…um…” She trailed off, not knowing what to say. 

 Red calmly crossed his legs and put his head to the side as he watched Lizzie. 

 Liz couldn’t believe he’d just suggested that. She was blushing and bewildered. 

 “Red…” She began, still unsure of what to say. 

 “I really think it would help. I also think we’d enjoy it.” He said matter-of-factly. 

 “We…have to work on this ad…” Liz said, coming to her senses. 

 “Is that a no?” He asked. 

 “It’s a…we have to get back to work.” She said. 

 Red felt encouraged. 

 


	2. Chapter 2

 Liz had trouble concentrating on anything, especially since she was still sitting across from Red, who had just suggested they have sex to ease the tension between them.

 “You said Dawson is a thrill-seeker. How can I capture his attention and stand out from the multitude of intriguing things on the darknet?” Red asked. 

 She’d been staring at the cafe table, then she slowly looked up at Red. 

 “Sorry…um…” She said, rubbing her temples in an effort to ease her brain. 

 Red smirked and studied Lizzie. He couldn’t believe he was having this much of an effect on her. When she put her hands on the table, he took hold of one. 

 “Lizzie…” He said softly. 

 Liz noticed his touch felt electric and she suddenly seemed to have adrenaline coursing through her system, which helped her come back to reality. She gently pulled her hand away. 

 “A ‘missing’ ad.” She said. 

 “Mm?” Red responded curiously. 

 “Dawson has a particular interest in missing persons cases and impersonating people’s long lost loved ones…what if you make the ad look like it’s for a missing person, but it’s for your missing yacht?” Liz suggested. 

 Red smiled. 

 “That’s clever.” He said. 

 “I think Dawson will think it’s clever, too. He’ll be intrigued by the design of the ad and then when he reads that he’d get fifty million for stealing the yacht back from an imposing man like Dembe, he’ll be eager to prove he can do it. He’ll want the money but also the excitement of the challenge.” She said. 

 “Excellent. Now, how can we make sure no one else replies to the ad?” Red asked, realizing the risk involved with posting something of this nature. 

 “Aram will know. He can probably screen the views and figure out which one is Dawson, then make the ad _only_ visible to Dawson.” She said. 

 Red raised his eyebrows. 

 “Yeah. He’s that good.” She said. 

 “Isn’t it thrilling…figuring out how to hunt the predator and reel him in…?” Red said. 

 The tone of his voice made a shiver travel up Liz’s spine. She shifted in her chair. She noticed Red gazing at her in the dimming light of dusk.

 “…Well, I think we’ve made really good progress. We should be able to get Aram to create the ad tomorrow. I’ll go home and make some notes so we don’t forget anything…” She said.

 “Alright. Perhaps Dembe and I will go out on the yacht for a while, for something to do.” He said, standing up. 

 Liz gazed into his eyes for a moment and she stood up. They stared at each other. 

 “Okay…well…see you tomorrow, then.” She said. 

 “Indeed. Oh and Lizzie…let me know if you change your mind from a ‘we have to get back to work’ to a ‘yes’…” He said. 

 Liz blushed as she realized he was referring to his suggestion of sleeping together. Before she could figure out how to respond, he touched the brim of his fedora in a gentlemanly gesture and walked away. She watched him disappear around the corner of the cafe and then she finally snapped out of her daze. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Liz was back at home, feeling wound up and restless. She drew a bath to help her relax. She took her clothes off and got into the tub, sighing as she felt the hot water already soothing her. Liz thought about Red’s audacious suggestion. She toyed with the idea in her mind. What if they actually slept together? What might happen after that? Would it make her feel better? What would it feel like? Liz’s mind wandered into the gutter, where she pictured handcuffing Red to her bed and straddling him, using him to pleasure herself. Her hand glided through the hot water to between her legs and she touched herself briefly, but then she stopped. _I’ll save up all my sexual frustration and take it out on Red,_ Liz thought deviously. She giggled to herself and then she put her head back into the water, soaking her hair. 

 After her relaxing bath, Liz dried off and put her pyjamas on. She got into bed, planning on getting to sleep early, but sleep was the farthest thing from her mind. She lay on her back, staring into the blackness of the dark room. Liz looked at the clock and it was only nine-forty-five. She realized she wouldn’t be able to get to sleep this early, but she wasn’t sure what to do. She’d already made the notes about the ad, there was nothing on TV, she didn’t feel like reading or playing games on her phone; Liz turned onto her side and felt for her phone on the nightstand. Liz squinted at the bright screen as she looked through her contacts. She bit her lip and hesitated as she stared at “Nick’s Pizza” in her contact list. She sighed and put the phone down on the nightstand again. 

 Liz glanced at the clock again, noticing it was only six minutes since she last checked. Frustrated, she grabbed the phone and selected “Nick’s Pizza”. Her stomach tightened as she waited, listening to the ringing. She almost thought better of it and hung up when she heard a click. 

 “Lizzie. Good evening. What can I do for you?” Red said. 

 Liz hadn’t actually thought about what she would say if he answered the phone. 

 “Oh, um…I was thinking…” She said timidly. 

 Noticing the long pause, Red spoke. 

 “Yes?” He probed. 

 Liz felt her heart pounding and she chickened out. 

 “…The ad…” She said, mentally kicking herself really hard. 

 Red was disappointed she was calling to discuss work. 

 “What about it?” He asked. 

 “Um…we should…use a real photo of your yacht. It’ll look nice and fancy and it’ll also help Dawson identify it properly when he does his reconnaissance.” She said, still hating herself for being a coward. 

 “…Right. Good idea…” Red said. 

 There was a long pause again. 

 “Is that all?” He asked. 

 “…Yeah…” She said. 

 “Okay. Well…talk to you soon. Have a good night, Lizzie.” He said. 

 Liz closed her eyes and revelled in hearing his voice. 

 “Okay. You too.” She said, then she heard Red hang up, so she hung up as well. 

 Liz rolled over and groaned loudly into her pillow, so angry with herself. She then put the phone on the nightstand and glared at the clock, which seemed to be spiting her by showing she’d only spent another four minutes on the phone with Red. 

 “Ugh, what is wrong with me…?” She asked out loud. 

 Liz took a deep breath and relaxed with her eyes closed for a few minutes. She suddenly decided to stop being so stupid, and she grabbed her phone again and called “Nick’s Pizza” once more.

 “Lizzie?” Red answered. 

 “Yes.” She said. 

 “What can I do for you this time?” He asked, mistaking her meaning. 

 “It’s a yes, Red. I’ve made my mind up.” She said. 

 Red nearly dropped his phone. 

 “…I see…” He said. 

 “Mhmm.” She responded, biting her lip excitedly. 

 “When would you like to…act on my suggestion?” He asked discreetly, glancing at Dembe as they sat on the yacht.

 Liz smiled and felt butterflies in her stomach. 

 “Ummm now?” She said. 

 “Oh. That can be arranged…” He said. 

 “Is Dembe there with you?” She asked, noticing all the euphemisms. 

 “Yes.” He said. 

 Liz giggled into the phone, and Red delighted in the sound. 

 “Okay. Just…come over, Red…” She said. 

 “I will.” He said, then they hung up. 

 Red turned to Dembe again. 

 “I have to go…please stay and enjoy the yacht. It’s yours.” He said, wanting Dembe to have it.

 Dembe smiled and watched Red as he left. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Liz was anxiously pacing back and forth, trying to figure out what to wear, what to say, what to do; she decided to put on the sexiest pyjamas she could find, which consisted of a low-cut, lace-trimmed satin tank top with delicate straps and matching, very short shorts. Her heart seemed to jump into her throat when she heard a quiet knock on the door. She went and answered it. Red raked his eyes over her from head to toe and back up. 

 “Well, hello…” He said, impressed with her choice of pyjamas.

 Liz blushed and stepped aside to let him in. As she locked the door, Red stared at her adorable butt in the navy blue satin shorts with lace trim. She turned around and just stood there nervously. 

 “I must say, I was surprised by your phone call, Lizzie… _pleasantly_ surprised, of course.” He said. 

 Liz timidly approached Red and shakily put her hands on his jacket collar. 

 “Can you take your jacket off? I feel very underdressed.” She said quietly. 

 Red noticed how nervous Lizzie was. He took his jacket off and put it on a hook and then he took hold of her trembling hands. 

 “Just relax, sweetheart…” He said softly. 

 “…I can’t.” She said shyly. 

 “Well, let me break the ice…” He said. 

 Red leaned closer and gently touched his lips to hers. Liz felt herself leave a wet spot in her satin shorts, just from feeling his soft, warm lips against hers. Red pressed into the kiss and he felt Lizzie rest her hands on his chest. He also heard her make a very quiet humming sound, which drove him crazy. He felt her part her lips so he deepened the kiss and then briefly tasted her with his tongue. Liz pushed her mouth against Red’s and her tongue met his as they kissed passionately. She was still trembling lightly, but now more from excitement than anxiety. They were lost in each other for quite a while as they kissed, but then Liz realized they were still standing in her front hallway. She gently pulled away. 

 “Let’s go into my bedroom…” She said quietly, gazing into his eyes. 

 Red subtly nodded and then he followed her down another hall to the bedroom. Liz went and turned the lamp on. She turned back to Red, expecting him to look at their surroundings, but he didn’t take his eyes off her. She blushed and felt nervous again, especially when he approached her. Red took hold of her hands again and held them to his chest, lovingly. 

 “We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to, Lizzie.” He said gently. 

 “I want to…I’m just nervous.” She said timidly. 

 “It’s okay.” He said.

 Liz moved her body closer to Red and brought her lips very close to his. She initiated another kiss and lightly caressed his chest with her fingertips, enjoying feeling his warm body under the soft fabric of his shirt. Red let go of Liz’s hands so he could put his hands on her back. When she felt his warm hands on her back, she quietly moaned into the kiss. Their kissing quickly turned heated, and the reality hit Liz that she was making out with Red in her bedroom. She couldn’t really believe it, but it felt so incredibly good. Red couldn’t believe it, either, but he pushed away the disbelief and concentrated on the amazing pleasure. 

 They enjoyed their sensuous kissing for several more moments, and then they both pulled away at the same time, not being able to wait any longer. Liz blushed as Red started unbuttoning his shirt. When his shirt fell open, she surveyed his bare skin and then took her tank top off. Red dropped his shirt on the floor and gazed at Lizzie, taking in her beauty. He gently touched her cheek with his hand and then moved down along her neck, collarbone, and down between her breasts. Liz breathed more heavily as he did this, and she sighed when Red put both hands over her breasts, gently caressing them. He kissed her again and she ran her hands over his shoulders and chest. This was the first time they’d touched each other intimately, and it was electrifying. 

 They gazed into each other’s eyes and then Red undid his belt, causing Liz to get very excited butterflies in her stomach. She watched him raptly as he undressed to his boxers; she could see that he was very hard—and long—judging by the way the boxers stood out. Liz blushed again and took her shorts off. Red looked down and then captured her mouth in a passionate kiss. He then kissed her neck as she explored his arms and chest. They gently pulled back from each other and Red pulled his boxers down and stepped out of them. Liz looked down and her lips parted as she gazed lustfully at his erection. He was pleased with her response, and then she surprised him by gliding her hand along him, stroking him languorously. Red closed his eyes for a moment. 

 Liz felt some wetness rush to her opening in anticipation as she stroked Red; she revelled in his hot, silky smooth skin. She looked deeply into his eyes and kissed him gently. He delicately took her hand away, and then he put his hands on her waist and guided her closer to the bed. Liz smiled and blushed lightly as she got on the bed. She decided she wanted to have Red on top of her, so she lay back and watched him get on the bed. She parted her legs slowly and somewhat nervously and then he hovered over her, kissing her lips and neck. He kissed her breasts and gently sucked her nipples, causing her to sigh with pleasure. Red then lined himself up with Lizzie, and she felt his erection rub against her clit. She whimpered and grasped his shoulders, craving more. He felt her rub herself against him repeatedly. Red looked adoringly at Lizzie and gave her a smile. 

 “Are you ready, Lizzie?” He asked quietly, looking into her eyes. 

 “Yes!” She whispered emphatically, already close to orgasming. 

 Red smiled again and guided his tip to her opening. He gently nudged inside and he felt how wet she was. Liz’s cheeks turned pink again and her eyes were full of lust as Red entered her. He gradually pushed all the way inside her and they both closed their eyes for a moment, overwhelmed with the pleasure. Liz moaned and she slid her hands toward Red’s back, causing him to tense up. She studied his expression as she went a little further, and she felt his scars. 

 “Oh, Red, I’m sorry.” She said sympathetically. 

 “ _Don’t_ be sorry, Lizzie.” He said very quietly, then he kissed her. 

 Red ignored his self-consciousness and began moving out and then back into Lizzie. They both moaned quietly and kissed each other. He thrust deeply and he heard her gasp subtly, so he looked at her face. She smiled and put her hand lovingly on his cheek, so he knew she was okay. Red almost pulled all the way out and then he gently moved in and out, shallowly, just with his tip. Liz got a surprised look on her face. 

 “Oh…that feels…oh my god…” She said quietly. 

 Red smiled and he was happy to introduce Lizzie to a new sensation. She started panting. 

 “Red…if you keep that up…oh god.” She said. 

 Red continued and Liz suddenly squeezed him with her thighs and tensed up all over. Her breath caught in her throat as an immense orgasm hit her. Red felt her tightening around his tip, driving him crazy, but he somehow managed to not come yet. When Lizzie relaxed again, she just gaped at him. 

 “Oh my god…” She said again. 

 Feeling Red holding still, she continued. 

 “Please don’t stop, Red. I want to feel you come inside me.” She said in a sultry tone that shocked both of them. 

 Red thrust deep inside Lizzie and moved in a steady rhythm. All of a sudden, Liz boldly grabbed his butt and pulled him closer. 

 “Mmm…harder…” She said breathily. 

 Red eagerly complied. He was getting closer to coming and Liz felt the pleasure building inside her once more. Red was managing to focus on giving Lizzie another orgasm and she was impressed by his stamina. She started whimpering and her hands travelled up again to grasp his biceps. Liz got quite vocal as Red thrust more roughly and then she was overcome with a second orgasm. As she tensed and cried out, he let himself go and he came heavily inside her. Red felt the warm gushes spilling into Lizzie as she tightened around him. Liz felt how slippery they were as he thrust a few more times. It was extremely gratifying. 

 As the intense pleasure finally died down, they slowed their movements and then stopped. They looked into each other’s eyes. Liz weakly whimpered. 

 “Red…that was…wow.” She said as she caught her breath. Her vocabulary failed her in her satisfied daze. 

 Red smirked as he studied her awestruck expression. 

 “It _was_ …” He agreed. 

 Liz giggled softly. 

 Red then unexpectedly kissed her on the nose, making her giggle again, and he gently pulled out. He lay down on his back beside her.

 After a few moments of silence, Liz spoke. 

 “I can’t believe we just did that.” She said. 

 Red looked over at her, concerned, but then he saw her smile and she laughed again, joyfully. He smiled at her, and then she snuggled up to him. 

 “Thank you…” She said as she rested her head on his shoulder. 

 Red was gobsmacked. 

 “Why are you thanking me?” He asked. 

 “Because…I really needed that—from _you_.” She said. 

 Red was amazed. He didn’t know what to say, so he just kissed her on the head. Liz put her arm over Red and sighed contentedly. They stayed quiet as they relaxed and then they both drifted off to sleep. 

 

 

(To Be Continued...)


	3. Chapter 3

 The next day, Liz and Red were standing at Aram’s desk while he worked on creating the ad to post on the darknet. He designed it to look like a missing persons ad, like Liz suggested.

 “Does the yacht have a name? Sometimes they have names, don’t they?” Aram said to Red. 

 “It’s called Freedom.” Red said. 

 Liz gazed at him admiringly. 

 “Is that why you chose it? That’s the perfect name…” Liz said softly. 

 Aram and Samar glanced at each other. 

 “Partly…by the way, I’ve given the yacht to Dembe, since he likes it so much.” Red said. 

 Liz was very moved by this sweet gesture. 

 “Aww that’s so nice.” She said, smiling at Red. 

 Aram and Samar glanced at each other again, puzzled by Liz’s sudden change of mood—and attitude towards Red. 

 “Well, he deserves the yacht, and freedom, more than anyone…” Red said, of Dembe. 

 Aram was mid-sip of tea when Liz suddenly wrapped her arms around Red’s neck, and he almost choked on his tea. Samar gaped at Liz as she hugged Red. Liz gently pulled away and smiled. 

 “I’m gonna go get us some coffee, Red.” She said cheerfully, then she walked off. 

 Red smiled fondly at her and stole a glance at her butt as she walked away. 

 “Did you end up getting a room?” Samar joked. 

 Aram sipped his tea.

 “Something like that…” Red said smugly. 

 Aram had to put the tea down before he choked. Liz came back with coffees and handed one to Red. Their hands brushed as he took it. 

 “Thank you, Lizzie.” He said softly. 

 “You’re welcome.” She said gently. 

 They gazed into each other’s eyes until Samar cleared her throat. 

 “What do you think of the ad? Is it ready?” She asked Liz and Red. 

 “Yep. That’s perfect.” Liz said, looking at the screen. 

 “Agreed.” Red said. 

 Aram had to get Cooper’s approval on the ad before posting it, and Cooper was busy for a while, so the agents and Red took a break. 

 “Wanna go sit in my office and have our coffee?” Liz asked Red. 

 Red nodded, so they walked into her office and Liz closed the door behind them. They sat down in the two guest chairs in front of her desk so they could be close together. Liz smiled at Red, and he returned her smile. 

 “That was so sweet of you to give Dembe the yacht. I wanted to kiss you.” She said. 

 Red raised his eyebrows.

 “I’m surprised you even _hugged_ me in front of everyone.” He said. 

 “Ah, it’s fine.” She said dismissively. 

 “I hope Dawson doesn’t damage the yacht.” She added. 

 Red crossed his legs and looked smug. 

 “He won’t. If he does, I’ll just buy Dembe another one.” He said. 

 Liz smiled again, and they both took a sip of coffee. Red noticed that Lizzie was now lost in thought, so he watched her expectantly. She blushed and got shy all of a sudden. 

 “Um…Red?” She asked. 

 “What is it, sweetheart?” He asked, studying her face. 

 “That wasn’t…just a one time offer, was it? I mean…sleeping together?” She asked timidly. 

 Red’s mouth fell open, and his ego went through the roof.

 “Oh good heavens, no.” He said plainly, shaking his head.

 Liz looked into his eyes and then she giggled. Red tilted his head and smiled warmly at her. 

 “You can come to me whenever you’re feeling agitated…” He said, suddenly very serious, but it was still comical. 

 Liz laughed heartily, and outside her office, Samar and Aram looked at each other again. 

 “So…are you free tonight, Red?” Liz asked. 

 “Are you feeling agitated, Lizzie?” He asked, smirking. 

 Liz bit her lip and put her hand on Red’s thigh. 

 “A little…” She said. 

 “Hmm.” Red responded, intrigued. 

 Liz slid her hand further up his thigh and put her coffee down on her desk. She looked into his mesmerizing green eyes. 

 “I’m free right now, if you’d like to—“ He said, but there was a knock on her office door. 

 Liz jumped backward and picked up her coffee. 

 “Come in!” She said. 

 Ressler opened the door and he eyed them for a moment, noticing Liz’s pink cheeks. 

 “Cooper’s approved the ad, so Aram is posting it now.” Ressler said. 

 “Great.” Liz said. 

 “Wonderful. We’ll be right out, Donald.” Red said. 

 Ressler glared at Red and reluctantly closed the door as he left. 

 Liz and Red gazed longingly at each other, and Liz sighed. 

 “We have to get to work…but seriously, can you come over tonight, Red?” She asked. 

 “Of course, Lizzie.” He said. 

 Liz gave him a quick smile, then they got up and went back into the main area. 

 “I’ve posted the ad, and it’s already had six views. I’m tracing them. Mr. Reddington, do you have any general idea of where Dawson might be, like, the country he might be in?” Aram said. 

 “He’ll be here in the US.” Red said. 

 “Well, that narrows it down slightly. There were two from England and one from Cuba. Three in the states…two in Texas, one in Florida.” Aram said. 

 “Hmm. The Florida one might be him…he’s spent a lot of time there. Can you find out more?” Red said. 

 “Sure can.” Aram said, typing furiously. 

 On the big screen, the satellite photo of the address popped up along with the property information. The house was registered to a Tim Larson. Red smirked and shook his head. 

 “That’s him. Tim Larson is one of his old aliases. What a moron…apparently, he couldn’t come up with a new one.” Red said. 

 Aram was typing again and he made the ad only visible to Dawson. 

 “There. Now what?” Aram said eagerly.

 “Now we wait for him to call me.” Red said, brandishing a new burner phone. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Liz was at home, anxiously awaiting Red’s arrival. She closed the curtains and turned the lights on, feeling nervous and excited. She heard a knock on her door and she felt her stomach do a somersault as she quickly went to answer it. 

 “Good evening, Lizzie.” Red said, holding a very expensive bottle of champagne. 

 Liz smiled. 

 “Come in.” She said, stepping aside. 

 She breathed in his fantastic scent as he walked past and she closed and locked the door. 

 Red sauntered into the kitchen and then turned to her. 

 “Where do you keep the glasses?” He asked, putting the bottle on the countertop. 

 He watched Lizzie approach him in a sultry manner. She pushed his jacket off his shoulders, so he let it drop to the floor as she leaned in for a kiss. Liz kissed Red passionately, having no interest in champagne at the moment. She started unbuttoning his shirt and he was pleasantly surprised. 

 “You must have found me _very_ annoying today.” He joked, between kisses. 

 “Extremely.” She said, playing along. 

 Liz then giggled and smiled as she kissed Red. His shirt fell open and she started on his belt. He studied her face as she concentrated on undoing his belt and trousers, and he was very amused. He wanted to tell her she was adorable, but he was distracted when she put her hand into his boxers. She began stroking his erection. 

 “Mm…Lizzie…” Red said quietly, putting one hand on the counter and one on her upper arm as she stepped even closer. 

 Liz kissed his neck and then his lips. She felt how warm and wet she was between her legs, and she was craving him. 

 “Red, I want you so bad.” She said quietly, next to his ear. 

 Red became even harder, if that was possible. 

 “…Do you want to go into the bedroom?” He asked. 

 “No…” She said, suddenly stepping away and pulling her skinny jeans down along with her panties. 

 Liz turned around and bent over the dining room table. Red was floored. It took him a few moments to come back to his senses. He then approached her from behind. Liz was thrilled as she felt Red’s hands caressing her hips; she let out a shaky breath and stuck her butt up, feeling the very strong urge to have him penetrate her. Despite his astonishment, Red knew Lizzie was extremely horny, so he didn’t hesitate before guiding himself into her. She moaned and arched her back as she pushed herself against him. They’d both been craving this since their first time together the night before, and they sighed with pleasure as Red started moving. He went slowly at first, enjoying the sensation of pulling back and then gradually being fully surrounded by Lizzie’s warmth. 

 Liz moaned and squirmed slightly at the slow pace; it was very satisfying, but she wanted to bring them both to an even more satisfying release. She forcefully pushed back, meeting his thrusts and quickening their pace. Red was amazed by how badly Lizzie was craving him; he felt her pushing him in deeper and faster, and she was so wet, he was slipping in and out. He felt her tensing up and becoming tighter around him. Liz whimpered as Red thrust faster. She was so close to climaxing that a moment later, she whispered “Red” and then moaned as she felt the waves of pleasure course through her. He heard her whisper his name and felt her body squeezing him rhythmically; he came, streaming hotly into her, for what felt like a long time. 

 They both started catching their breath while Liz moaned weakly and rested her forehead against the table. Red gently pulled out and made himself presentable again. Liz tiredly pulled up her bottoms and then turned around. She smiled and put her arms around Red’s neck. She kissed him a few times and looked into his eyes. 

 “That was amazing…” She said, then she giggled. 

 “It was, Lizzie.” He agreed. 

 Liz pulled away, sighing, and went to the cupboards. She got out two glasses for the champagne and put them on the counter. Red smiled and chuckled. 

 “So…now that _that’s_ out of the way, we can open the champagne?” He teased. 

 Liz laughed. 

 “Yes.” She said, smirking. 

 They enjoyed the champagne while sitting on the sofa together. Red delighted in seeing Lizzie smiling and laughing as they talked. Things had definitely eased between them. He still had difficulty believing their sex cured Lizzie’s bad mood—and that she’d taken him up on his offer in the first place—but it seemed to have worked. Liz was feeling relaxed, contented, and she noticed she was also feeling very charmed by Red. He was telling her about the first time Dembe flew with him on his private jet, and she found herself being reminded of how sweet he was to the people he loved. Liz’s heart swelled as she listened to Red fondly recalling how amazed Dembe was; she suddenly realized there had always been more than just sexual tension between her and Red. She swallowed hard. 

 “What’s wrong, Lizzie?” He asked, noticing her serious expression. 

 “Oh. Nothing, really…it’s just a moving story.” She said convincingly. 

 Red took hold of her hand and gently squeezed it to comfort her. 

 “We can talk about something else.” He said softly, not wanting to make her feel sad. 

 Liz had a feeling, and she recognized it; she had the same feeling when she’d fallen in love with Tom. _Uh oh_ , she thought. She gazed at him and started blushing. Red studied her and wondered what she was thinking and feeling. She seemed a bit sad, but now she was blushing and looking at him with big, emotional eyes. _Uh oh_ , he thought. Red cleared his throat. 

 “What would you like to talk about, Lizzie?” He asked. 

 “Uh…how about we watch TV for a little while?” She asked, needing a distraction. 

 “Okay…” He said, watching her face as she grabbed the remote and turned the TV on. 

 Liz flipped channels but she paused when she came upon a CSI show. 

 “Wow, this is very graphic.” Red said. 

 Liz laughed. 

 “You’ve never seen CSI before?” She asked. 

 “No…only the real thing…” He said. 

 Liz cringed and changed the channel to a talk show, then she put the remote on the coffee table again. She looked at Red and he looked at her and smiled gently. She moved closer to him and he put his arm around her as she snuggled against him. Liz nuzzled her face into his neck and sniffed his cologne. She sighed and then rested on his shoulder. Red rubbed her arm as he held her close. They realized just how rapidly this was going beyond a friends-with-benefits situation, and they were both powerless to rein it in. 

 After a while, the next talk show was on and Liz was feeling drowsy. 

 “Let’s go to bed.” She said quietly. 

 “Okay.” He said, following her lead. 

 They got up and Liz turned the lights off as they made their way to her bedroom. Liz threw on a tank top and shorts and Red undressed to his boxers, then they got into bed together. Before Liz turned the lamp off, she looked at Red and smiled brightly. 

 “Goodnight, Red.” She said.

 “Goodnight, Lizzie.” He said, looking at her adoringly. 

 Liz turned off the lamp and got closer to Red. He put his arm around her again and she put her hand on his chest. They quickly dozed off. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Liz and Red both woke up at the same and looked at each other. They smiled and he watched her do a cute stretch, throwing her arm around him. 

 “Morning, Red.” She said softly.

 “Good morning, sweetheart.” He said quietly. 

 Liz rested her head on his shoulder and her fingertips danced lightly across his chest, then an idea popped into her head. 

 “Let’s have a shower together, and then I’ll make breakfast.” She said excitedly. 

 Red smiled. 

 “Alright.” He said.

 They got out of bed and went into the bathroom. Liz immediately got naked while Red gazed at her, then she turned the water on and adjusted the temperature. Red undressed and when she turned back to look at him, he found her irresistible, so he grabbed her cheeks and kissed her. Liz was surprised but then she relaxed and pressed her body against his as they kissed. He felt her breasts against him and he put his hands on her back, holding her close. She made a little humming noise and then gently pulled away. 

 Liz stepped into the shower and Red followed her. They enjoyed the relaxing yet refreshing spray of the shower and they both used Liz’s bath products because Red didn’t have any of his there. He didn’t mind smelling like Lizzie, though. Once they’d rinsed off, Liz didn’t want to get out yet, so she moved closer and ran her hand along his length. He sighed with pleasure and she continued stroking him. She bit her lip and blushed lightly as she felt and saw him getting hard in her hand. 

 Red watched Lizzie as she suddenly knelt down in front of him. She immediately grasped his erection and took it into her mouth. Liz stroked him with her mouth and her hand at the same time, and Red put his hand on the wall, wishing there was a grab-bar in the shower to support himself. She was thrilled to be pleasuring him this way and she felt herself getting wet between her folds. Red closed his eyes in bliss as he felt Lizzie tighten her lips and her hand around him, going a little faster. She then pulled back and ran her tongue over his tip several times. She tasted his precum and she eagerly kept licking, driving him crazy. Red slid his hand up the wall to better support himself. 

 Liz took him as deep into her mouth as she could and did this several times, eliciting a moan from Red. Then she put her hands on his hips and shallowly, quickly went over just the tip. 

 “Lizzie…I’m going to come…” He said.

 Liz eagerly kept going, quickening her pace and focusing her attention just past his tip. Red could tell Lizzie very much wanted him to come in her mouth, so he let himself go. He moaned quietly as he came, and she felt and tasted it gushing into her mouth. She swallowed each surge until there was nothing left, then slowly released him. Liz looked up at Red and stood. She smiled at his awestruck expression. She then reached behind him and turned the water off. 

 “Come on. Breakfast.” She said, getting out. 

 Red was stunned for a moment, then he got out and dried off with Lizzie. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 They had just finished breakfast when Red’s new, second burner phone rang. He raised his eyebrows and nonchalantly answered while Liz watched in suspense. 

 “Yes?” He answered. 

 “Hey there…my name’s Tim, and I’m gonna get your yacht back for you.” Dawson said assuredly, using his alias. 

 

 

(To Be Continued…)

 


	4. Chapter 4

 Liz drove herself and Red to the Post Office to update the task force in person. While they were in the elevator, Liz brushed her hand against Red’s and held it for a few seconds. They glanced at each other and then the doors opened, so they went into the main area.

 “I have news. Dawson, who is calling himself Tim Larson—as we suspected from Aram’s research—is eager to prove to me he can steal back my yacht. He sounded _very_ arrogant...he thinks he’s superior to _me_ …” Red said, shaking his head in disbelief. 

 The agents all looked at each other and then stared at Red, noting the irony. 

 Red glared at them for a second. 

 “Anyway, he said he’ll come up with a plan once he checks out the location of the yacht and he’ll get back to me. I called Dembe and told him to man the yacht regularly for a while…and to wear a gun belt. Don’t worry, he won’t actually use the gun, but we want to make it challenging for Dawson.” He said. 

 “…Okay. Well, this is excellent progress.” Cooper said. 

 Ressler started going over some logistics and Liz went to grab a tempting miniature cupcake from the counter where the coffeemaker was. She made her way back and as Ressler talked, she stared at Red and licked the vanilla icing off the mini cupcake. Red found it very difficult to concentrate. 

 “Reddington? What do you think?” Ressler asked. 

 Red pulled his eyes away from Lizzie, and he had no clue what Ressler was referring to, but he played it cool. 

 “I’m sure you know what’s best, Donald.” He said. 

 Ressler stared at him. 

 “You have no idea what I was talking about, do you?” He asked. 

 “No.” Red said, smirking. 

 Liz nearly cracked up laughing. She blushed and put her hand up to her forehead to try and hide her face. 

 Ressler exasperatedly went over the plan again. 

 “Dawson will likely do surveillance on the yacht, and Dembe. I think we should do surveillance on them as well, so we can see what’s going on and we can track Dawson when he comes on the scene.” Ressler said. 

 “Absolutely!” Red said. 

 “Good.” Ressler said curtly. 

 After the briefing, Liz and Red were in the elevator together again. As soon as the doors closed, Red spoke. 

 “Thanks for that, Lizzie, that was very helpful.” He said, sounding sarcastic but lighthearted at the same time. 

 Liz laughed. 

 “Sorry. I couldn’t help myself.” She said, smirking. 

 “Are you annoyed with me?” She added, then she giggled. 

 Red looked at her, but the elevator opened, so they walked out together. 

 “Are you suggesting our…arrangement works both ways, Lizzie?” Red asked. 

 “Yep…whenever you find me irritating, you can come to me and we can…work it out.” Liz said, grinning. 

 “Hmm. Good to know.” He said, looking smug as they got in her car. 

 “Where would you like to go, Red?” She asked, seeing as she was driving and he was in the backseat to avoid detection as usual. 

 He was quiet for a few moments, thinking, so she looked at him in the rearview mirror. 

 “My safe house. But I want you to stay there with me.” He said, meeting her eyes in the mirror. 

 “Oh…okay.” She said, then she smiled. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 At the safe house, Liz and Red had a nice meal together and now they were sitting on the love-seat, sipping some very expensive wine. He was turned toward her and she was facing him, with one leg on the seat cushion and her arm resting on the back of the love-seat. She sighed contentedly. 

 “This is nice…” She said. 

 “It is. I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself.” He said. 

 A comfortable silence filled the room and Liz was spacing out, enjoying a sip of wine, when she noticed Red was staring at her. She looked into his eyes, which were gazing at her lustfully. She blushed a little and then he put his wineglass down on the coffee table. He gently took hers out of her hand and put it on the coffee table, too. Liz watched as Red stood up and offered his hand to her. 

 “Come with me, Lizzie.” He said quietly. 

 Liz put her hand into his and stood up, wanting to follow him wherever he went. He led her upstairs to a lovely, romantic-looking bedroom. They walked close to the bed and then Red stopped and faced her. Liz waited, unsure of what his intentions were. 

 “Take off all your clothes…” He said. 

 Liz didn’t hesitate before stripping down completely and she eagerly awaited his next instructions. 

 “Now lay back.” Red said. 

 He watched Lizzie obediently get on the bed and lay back, and he gave her a devilish grin. She wondered what he had in store for her, then suddenly she knew. Red got on the bed and put his hands between her thighs, pushing them apart. Liz spread her legs for him and he positioned himself so his face was between her thighs. She excitedly bit her lip as his hands went under her thighs and grasped her hips. She closed her eyes and felt his breath on her sensitive, moist flesh. Liz sighed quietly as Red put his mouth against her. He adoringly kissed her for a couple seconds before tasting her with his tongue. 

 Red heard Lizzie moan softly as he slowly licked along her folds. He then gently rubbed her clit, causing her to squirm against his mouth. 

 “Oh…Red…” She said breathily.

 This encouraged him to increase his efforts. He moved down and dipped into her opening, tasting the fluid he was drawing forth, then he returned his attention to her clit. He felt it was very firm now, and she was starting to grind her hips against his mouth. Red gently sucked on her clit, making Liz whimper and squirm again. He grasped her hips more firmly to hold her still. Liz was getting  close to climaxing as she felt Red point his tongue and quickly rub her clit. He turned his head off to the side to be able to quickly move his tongue back and forth over her clit. She was panting, whimpering and wriggling against him, and he was enraptured. 

 Red carried on like this for a short while longer, then he heard Lizzie produce the sexiest moan as her orgasm overtook her. She moved against his mouth with the waves of pleasure, but then she became too sensitive for the intense stimulation, so she pulled back. Red was relentless, and he held Lizzie strongly while he continued. The jolts of pleasure made Liz jump and tremble, but after a while, she felt herself heading towards another orgasm. Red was thoroughly enjoying making Lizzie quiver with pleasure and he delighted in the whimpering sounds she was making. She suddenly cried out with her second climax, and after a few moments, he finally released her from his grip. 

 Red rose up to look at Lizzie and he smirked; she was sprawled out, breathing heavily, with a very relieved expression on her face. She glanced down at him. 

 “Wow…” She said breathlessly, having no other words to describe it.

 Red grinned at her.

 “Was that for the cupcake incident?” She asked. 

 “Yes.” He said. 

 They both chuckled. 

 Liz’s phone rang from her jeans pocket on the floor, causing her to jump. She got off the bed and grabbed the phone. 

 “It’s Cooper.” She said, instinctively pulling the blanket and holding it to cover her front. 

 It just didn’t feel right to have a phone conversation with her boss while she was naked. Red smiled and tried not to laugh. 

 “Yes, sir?” She answered. 

 “Aram’s got the surveillance feeds up and running. There haven’t been any sightings yet. Anything from Reddington?” He asked, assuming they weren’t together. 

 “Um, no, not yet.” She said, blushing. 

 “Okay. Well, let’s just hope Reddington hasn’t taken matters into his own hands.” Cooper said. 

 Liz glanced at Red and felt bad for him; he was on his best behaviour lately. 

 “No. I mean, no I don’t think he would do that…We’ve got a solid plan, and Red likes it.” She said. 

 “…Okay. Talk to you soon, Elizabeth.” Cooper said. 

 “Okay. Bye.” She said, and they hung up. 

 She glanced at Red again. 

 “Harold still doesn’t trust me.” He concluded, based on Lizzie’s comment.

 “…Not really, Red. Sorry.” She said. 

 “That’s okay, Lizzie. I’ve done some less-than-trustworthy things…” He said. 

 Liz studied him. 

 “When do you think Dawson will call you again?” She asked. 

 “I don’t know. Probably within a couple of days, depending on how and when he travels. There’s no question that he’s eager to do the task and get the money, so it comes down to the practicalities.” He said. 

 Liz nodded. 

 “What do we do in the meantime?” She asked. 

 Red smirked and eyed her deviously. 

 Liz got a shocked look on her face and then she laughed. 

 “Red!” She said, pretending to scold him. 

 Red got on the bed and grabbed Liz, kissing her, tickling and snuggling her, making her laugh. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Liz couldn’t help smiling a lot the next morning when she and Red were at the black site. They’d spent a fantastic night together at his safe house and she found herself feeling very happy. Samar and Aram glanced at each other a few times, noticing how Liz was still happy and she hadn’t been annoyed with Red for a while now. 

 Liz was standing close to Red as they watched the surveillance feeds on the big screen. She breathed in his cologne and wished she could hold his hand and lean against him. Red noticed she was looking at him for a little too long. 

 “Lizzie…” He whispered, trying to get her to behave herself. 

 She blushed as she realized she was staring at him rather than the screen. 

 “Look. There’s a new car pulling up.” Aram said. 

 They all watched as a white sedan parked near the waterfront. After a few minutes, a man got out. He was wearing a white baseball cap, sunglasses and sporty clothing. The man nonchalantly walked along the waterfront but he glanced only at the yacht entitled “Freedom”. He checked his watch and headed back to his car. He got in and drove away. 

 “That was definitely Dawson. Even if he weren’t extremely conspicuous, he just looks so…Miami.” Red said. 

 Red’s phone rang and he answered it, putting it on speaker phone so the task force could listen.

 “Yes?” He said. 

 “Hey man. This is Tim. I’ve gotten a look at your yacht. It’s _nice_. I also got a look at the big scary guy on it. No worries though. I can handle it. When do I get the money?” Dawson said.

 Red had a very unamused expression on his face. 

 “You get it when you deliver my yacht to me. Get a move on. I don’t want to die of old age before you decide to take action.” Red said. 

 “Alright. Is tonight soon enough for you?” Dawson said. 

 “Yes.” Red said, looking bored. 

 “Cool. It’ll be at the delivery spot tonight around midnight.” Dawson said, then he hung up. 

 Red hung up and put his phone away. 

 “Well that was fun…you should be able to nab him tonight at midnight.” Red said. 

 “Good. Let’s get everything ready.” Cooper said. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Liz was in the driver’s seat of her car, waiting for Red to come back from his errand in a remote building in a slum. She looked at the white LED display and it read “11:38” p.m. She was getting nervous and thinking there wouldn’t be enough time to get to the delivery location by midnight. All of a sudden, Red got into the backseat with a duffle bag. Liz turned around and eyed him and the bag suspiciously. 

 “It’s the money, Lizzie.” He said. 

 “You keep fifty million dollars cash here…?” She said skeptically. 

 “Where do you think I would keep it? In a _bank_?” Red scoffed. 

 Liz turned around and started driving to the waterfront. When they arrived, she parked a good distance away from the delivery area. They got out and walked part of the way, then Liz had to go meet with Ressler and the tactical unit. 

 “Red…be careful.” She said.

 She glanced around and then gave him a quick kiss. 

 Red was surprised and touched by her concern. 

 “There’s no need to be concerned, sweetheart. See you shortly.” He said. 

 They parted ways and Red finished his journey to the delivery spot and saw the yacht waiting, so he knew Dawson had completed his mission. Red approached the yacht. Dawson suddenly jumped down from the deck, and Red nearly drew his gun.

 “Is that the money?” Dawson asked of the duffle bag.

 “It is. By the way, how did you manage to steal the yacht?” Red asked, already knowing what Dembe’s plan was. 

 “It was _so_ easy. I saw the guy at the bar at the yacht club, right? So I sat by him and waited until he was wasted, then I picked his pocket for the keys.” Dawson said. 

 Dawson held out his hand for the duffel bag, Red gave it to him, and then he opened it to check the contents. There were massive bundles of cash in it, so Dawson zipped it back up. 

 “Good work…but just so you know, the man was doing shots of water—not vodka. He’s a good friend of mine, who now owns the yacht, and _that_ …that’s all counterfeit.” Red said, gesturing to the bag. 

 Dawson looked stunned. 

 “Yeah…it doesn’t feel so good to be conned, does it?” Red asked. 

 The FBI closed in and arrested Dawson while he was still in shock. Liz was happy to see that Red was fine and Dawson was now in handcuffs, being escorted away. Red surreptitiously whisked the duffle bag away with him as he went to meet Dembe. Dembe drove him back to the slum house where he ‘deposited’ his money, which wasn’t counterfeit, back under the cellar floor. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Liz was at home, feeling relieved that Dawson was in custody so he couldn’t scam anyone else. She’d had a shower and just finished drying her hair when there was a knock on the door. She went and answered it in her pyjamas. 

 “Hello, sweetheart. May I come in?” Red said. 

 “Of course.” Liz said, letting him in. 

 She closed the door and locked it, then turned to him. He was looking at her with an uncharacteristically happy expression. 

 “What’s wrong?” Liz asked, unnerved by this change. 

 Red chuckled. 

 “Nothing is wrong, Elizabeth.” He said gently. 

 She wasn’t convinced. 

 “Uh…come in.” She said, ushering him further into her home. They stood in the kitchen.

 “So…what’s up?” She asked, curious. 

 “…Dembe’s on the yacht again. He really likes it.” Red said, chickening out of what he was really going to say. 

 Liz was slightly puzzled that Red would come over at almost two a.m. to tell her this, but she smiled. 

 “That’s good.” She said. 

 Red sighed. 

 “Sometimes, a person can hold themselves back…” He began. 

 Liz listened, wondering where this was going. 

 “The person won’t allow themselves to feel better, or do better, because they believe with every fiber of their being that they don’t deserve to.” He said. 

 Liz’s eyebrows furrowed; she felt like he was talking about self-sabotage, but she just let him continue. 

 “…And then one day, something good happens, and the person stops caring whether they deserve it or not…they just want to enjoy the good thing while it lasts.” He said softly.

 Liz swallowed hard. 

 “Red…” She began, but he cut her off. 

 “I love you, Lizzie…you are the good thing in my life—the best thing…and I have stopped caring whether or not I deserve you. I’m going to enjoy this time with you while I have it.” Red said. 

 Liz had tears in her eyes now, and she couldn’t speak for a moment. Red gave her a quick smile and went to leave, having said what he came there to say.

 “Don’t go!” She said, grabbing his arm. 

 They looked at each other. 

 “I love you too, Red…and I wish you could accept that, and understand that you ‘deserve’ me, but I know I can’t convince you. So let’s both just focus on enjoying our time together.” She said earnestly. 

 Red smiled gently. 

 “And by the way, you’ll have plenty of time with me…you’re stuck with me, actually.” Liz added, then she took a deep breath and smiled at him. 

 “Hmm. But what if we get on each other’s nerves?” Red asked playfully. 

 “I guess we’ll just have to have lots of sex.” Liz said. 

 “I suppose that would work.” He said. 

 They smiled at each other and then Liz grasped Red’s hand and pulled him all the way into her bedroom, where they both immediately undressed and got into bed. He wanted Lizzie on top of him this time, so he lay back and she eagerly straddled him. 

 Liz bent forward and kissed Red as she rubbed her clit along his erection. She did this several times, until they both couldn’t wait anymore, then she lifted up and guided him inside. They both sighed with pleasure as he slid all the way in. 

 “Mm…Lizzie…” He said quietly. 

 Liz kissed him again and began moving on him. This was their first time after they declared their love for each other, so it was a profound experience. Liz was leaning forward with her hands on either side of Red’s head and they were gazing deep into each other’s eyes in the lamplight. They felt even more connected than before. Red ran his hands down Lizzie’s back and felt her arching as she ground her hips into him. She kissed him again, very passionately and she felt him thrust into her as his hands went to her hips. He started pulling her down onto him and she whimpered and broke the kiss. Liz closed her eyes for a moment and lifted her head slightly as she concentrated on feeling Red going so deep inside her. He watched her and saw the pleasure on her face, which heightened his own pleasure. 

 Liz stayed leaning forward so she could gaze at Red and she could feel friction on her clit, which was rapidly bringing her closer to her climax. Red rubbed Lizzie’s back and then grasped her hips firmly to pull her roughly against him again. She whimpered and they quickened their pace. He felt her tightening around him and he started coming inside her, gushing heavily. This pushed Liz into an immense orgasm, and they both moaned as she continued moving on him, enjoying the waves of pleasure. They slowed their movements and gradually stayed still, gazing into each other’s eyes. Liz smiled and kissed Red as he lightly rubbed her back. She gently got off him and slumped down beside him, sighing. 

 After a couple of minutes of cooling down, Liz snuggled up to Red and put her hand on his chest. He put his hand over hers and kissed her on the head. 

 “I could get used to this…” He said quietly. 

 “Good.” She said earnestly. 

 “I love you, Red…” She added, delighted that she was now able to say it freely. 

 “I love you too, Lizzie.” He said softly as he smiled. 

 

**The End**

 


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